The BLACKCAPS have won the second ANZ Test against the West Indies by eight wickets, giving them a comfortable 2-0 Test series triumph.

The home side easily negotiated the 122 run target set for them, with Kane Williamson (56) and Hamish Rutherford (48*) doing the bulk of the work.

Fittingly, player of the series Ross Taylor (2*) was out in the middle when the winning runs were struck, yanking a stump out of the ground in celebration.

Needing early wickets, the West Indies failed to provoke the collapse they so desperately wanted and were quickly in need of a miracle to have any chance. A terrific caught and bowled effort from captain Darren Sammy saw Peter Fulton depart for 10, but that was as close as the visitors got.

While Rutherford showed an incredible stubbornness to remain until the final ball, Williamson was playing some exquisite strokes and brought up his second consecutive half-century off 74 balls. With just six needed for victory he looked to finish proceedings in style, but it wasn’t to be, misjudging the length and giving Veerasammy Permaul a consolation wicket.

However, it was a matter of if not when and an offdrive by Rutherford in the 41st over put the game to bed.

It completed what was a memorable Test for the BLACKCAPS on many levels - Brendon McCullum’s first Test series victory as skipper, Tim Southee reaching 100 Test wickets, but most of all Taylor’s three consecutive centuries to accumulate 495 runs across the series.

With 12 Test centuries to his name, Taylor seems destined to become New Zealand’s most successful ever batsman.

Ross Taylor continued his prolific run of form in the third ANZ Test at Seddon Park in Hamilton today, making a magnificent 131 to lead the BLACKCAPS to a first-innings total of 349.

That gave the West Indies a slim 18 run lead, but that advantage soon meant little, with the West Indies skittled for 103 in the second innings. It left the BLACKCAPS requiring 122 for victory and at stumps they were right on track at six without loss.

The BLACKCAPS had resumed the day at 156 for three, with Taylor and Brendon McCullum looking to eat into the West Indies lead of 211 as much as possible. Unfortunately the skipper’s stay was short-lived, falling to Sunil Narine for 12.

The wily off-spinner caused problems throughout the BLACKCAPS innings, finishing with career best figures of six for 91. However, Taylor remained unperturbed and continued to patiently knock the ball around.

While lacking the big slog-sweep that he’s become famous for, the 29 year-old still managed to bring the Hamilton crowd to their feet after 239 balls, notching up his third century of the Test series and twelfth in his career.

He is only the second New Zealand player to score three centuries in a series, with Andrew Jones being the other.

Despite his heroics, the BLACKCAPS were eventually dismissed for 349, giving the West Indies a slender lead.

The visitors failed to capitalise though, with Trent Boult taking three early wickets to reduce them to 13 for three. It was just the start the BLACKCAPS needed and the other bowlers soon got in on the act.

After a century in the first-innings, it was clear the key to the West Indies survival was Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Needing something special, Williamson came up with a catch to rival Boult’s from the second Test, diving one-handed in the gully to send the 39-year-old veteran on his way. It was a good delivery from Neil Wagner and an extraordinary catch by Williamson.

The West Indies continued to lose wickets, but Southee had the last say of the innings when he took three wickets in one over. His second was particularly special, marking his 100th Test scalp.

It was a frantic sequence of play, with the West Indies bowled out inside one session.

Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton saw out the final two overs of the day, leaving the home side requiring 116 runs for victory on day four.

They’re not there yet, but a 2-0 Test series victory is within the BLACKCAPS grasp.

Shivarine Chanderpaul completed his century early on, helping his side add an extra 78 runs to their overnight total. Kane Williamson (58) and Ross Taylor (56*) led the BLACKCAPS response, with the home side trailing by 213 runs heading into day three.

Hamish Rutherford (10) was the first to go in the pursuit, dismissed by a brilliant caught and bowled effort from Darren Sammy. The West Indies' captain then took another sharp catch off the bowling of Sunil Narine to send Peter Fulton (11) on his way, reducing the BLACKCAPS to 43 for two.

With the openers back in the shed, it was left to Williamson and Taylor to lead the fight back and together they swung the momentum back in the BLACKCAPS favour.

Both brought up half-centuries and were five away from a 100 partnership when Williamson was adjudged lbw. He reviewed it, but the ball was shown to be just clipping legstump and therefore the decision was upheld.

That brought the skipper Brendon McCullum to the crease. There were only a handful of overs to negotiate before the close of play, but Narine was proving tricky to play. The two experienced batsmen were equal to the task though and will resume tomorrow morning as they hunt a first-innings lead.

Earlier, Chanderpaul had added the six required runs from his overnight score to bring up his 29th Test century. It was deserved reward for a typical Chanderpaul innings, rarely playing an uncontrolled stroke and showing composure throughout.

While the 39 year-old looked close to impossible to remove, the BLACKCAPS bowling unit had taken the sensible approach and attacked the opposite end – with much success.

Sammy was the first to go when he edged Southee through to BJ Watling for three, while Narine went shortly after for two. Veerasammy Permaul (20) and Tino Best (21) both played entertaining cameos towards the end, but were dismissed just before lunch.

Not surprisingly, Chanderpaul remained at the end of the West Indies innings, unbeaten on 122.

Tim Southee took two wickets this morning to lead the bowling attack with figures of four for 79 from 28 overs. The 25 year-old is now just two scalps away from 100 Test wickets – the smart money would be on him to get them next innings.

A tremendous sixth wicket stand of 200 between Denesh Ramdin (107) and Shivarine Chanderpaul (94*) has seen the West Indies fight through to 289 for six on day one of the third Test.

Hamilton delivered a beautiful day for the crowd at Seddon Park and the BLACKCAPS gave them plenty to cheer about just after lunch as they reduced the visitors to 86 for five, with Corey Anderson and Tim Southee monstering four wickets for just nine runs.

Chanderpaul and Ramdin fought back valiantly though, frustrating the fired-up bowlers, before going on the attack themselves. It was Anderson, fast developing a reputation as a partnership breaker, who brought their stand to a close when he captured the wicket of Ramdin for 107 in the third to last over of the day. Chanderpaul remains on 94 not out overnight, and he will be keen to convert this chance for yet another Test hundred in the morning.

Anderson finished with 3-25, Southee 2-56 and Neil Wagner 1-66, with Trent Boult and Ish Sodhi unlucky not to be on the board.

Earlier, Brendon McCullum had won the toss and asked the West Indies to bat first. The opening pair of Kieron Powell (26) and Braithwaite (45) withstood the new ball well though, putting on 41 for the opening wicket. As with the two previous Tests though, wickets fell in clumps for the West Indies.

The first to go was Powell, who feathered a Wagner bouncer through to BJ Watling for a comfortable catch. Having done all the hard work, Braithwaite became the next victim when he softly fended a ball from Southee to Kane Williamson in the gully.

Shades of Wellington were beginning to appear when Kirk Edwards (6), Marlon Samuels (0) and Narsingh Deonarine (2) all fell in quick succession, putting the BLACKCAPS well and truly on top, before Chanderpaul and Ramdin fought back. Ramdin was the more aggressive, playing freely through the offside. He survived a couple of tough dropped catches and took full advantage, bringing up his fourth Test century, before his fine innings came to an end just before the end of play, edging a full ball through to BJ Watling.